Adjustable mannequin arms



May 1 M. A. WOLF 3,319,846

ADJUSTABLE MANNEQUIN ARMS Filed Jan. 25, 1965 INVENTUR Melee/5 4 144111 United States Patent 3,319,846 ADJUSTABLE MANNEQUIN ARMS Morris A. Wolf, 1545 N. Laurel Ave, Los Angeles, Calif. E0046 Filed Jan. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 427,768 4 Claims. (El. Hit-68) This invention relates to clothing display mannequins, and more particularly to an arm structure for such mannequins.

An object of this invention is to provide an arm structure for clothing display mannequins that can be used with upper garments of various sleeve lengths, for example, short sleeves, three-quarter sleeves and full length sleeves of shirts, jac-shirts or any other upper garment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mannequin arm structure having an upper arm assembly and a lower arm assembly either or both of which assemblies can be adjusted as to length.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a mannequin arm structure that is adjustable as to position, either or both at the shoulder or at the elbow and that is provided with a means at the shoulder and elbow for securely maintaining the arm in the adjusted position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an arm structure for a mannequin of simple, inexpensive and easily adjustable construction, but nevertheless adapted to have a long service life and which may be incorporated in new mannequins or provided as an attachment capable of ready connection to mannequins not originally equipped with these arms.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a clothing display mannequin provided with arms incorporating the presently preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and showing internal details of construction;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2 showing a latching means for maintaining a desired length adjustment of the arm;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of FIG- URE 3 showing a means for adjusting the frictional clamping force at the ball joints of the arm structure;

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view of the shoulder joint of another embodiment of the invention, particularly adapted for connection of the arm structure to preexisting mannequins;

FIG-URE 7 illustrates the use of the mannequin arm structure in wearing a short sleeve garment; and

FIGURE 8 shows the use of the arms on a mannequin wearing a three-quarter length sleeve garment.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown a full round approximately half-length mannequin form 10, such as might be employed in the display of sweaters or jackets, supported on a pole standard 11. The form 10 and standard 11 form no part of the invention but are merely illustrative, it being understood that any suitable type of support and any type of mans, ladies or childrens form could be employed. In any event, the form 10 is provided with a pair of identical arm assemblies 12, comprising the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and connected to the shoulder portions of the form 10. As the arms are identical, only one of them will be described in detail.

In general, the arm 12 comprises an upper arm assembly and a lower arm assembly, the two assemblies having 'ice a spring-loaded ball joint connection at the elbow joint. Similarly, another spring-loaded ball joint connection is incorporated at the upper end of the upper arm assembly, at the shoulder joint. Each of the upper arm and lower a-rm assemblies comprises a pair of telescopically related tubular members interconnected by latching means whereby each of the upper arm and lower arm assemblies can be adjusted to a desired length. Because of the spring-loaded elbow joint, the lower a-rm assembly can be maintained in an angularly adjusted position relative to the upper arm assembly. Similarly, because of the spring-loaded shoulder ball joint, the upper arm will maintain an angularly adjusted position relative to the form 10. The construction is such that the entire arm 12 may be removed from the form 10 or sections of the arm assembly may be removed in order to adjust the overall length of the arm into correspondence with the sleeve length of the garment on display.

The illustrated form 10 is especially adapted to receive the arm assembly 12 in the manner shown in FIGURE 2. Thus, the form 10 is a hollow structure made of a suitable plastic, papier mach or other suitable material and internally, at its shoulder, has a wooden block 13 secured thereto. At a position corresponding to the shoulder socket of the form 10, the material of the form 10 and the block 13 are provided with a counter bore 14 including an outermost enlarged diameter portion 15.

The shoulder joint includes a member 16 having a generally cylindrical base portion 17 at one end and a generally spherical ball portion 18 at the other end. The base portion 17 is receivable in the enlarged diameter portion 15 of the counter bore 14 and on its end face is provided with a tapped blind bore 19 to threadedly receive one end of a threaded stud 20. A washer 21 is coaxially seated on the inner end face of the base portion 17 to seat one end of a compressed helical spring 22 whose other end is seated on a shoulder 23 defined at the junction of the portions of the counter bore 14. A T-nut 24 is mounted in the wooden block 13 having its internally tapped body portion coaxially disposed in the minor diameter portion of the counter bore 14 to threadedly receive the inner end of the stud 20.

The upper arm assembly includes a pair of tubes 25 and 26, the latter being telescopically slidably received within the lower end of the upper tube 25. The upper tube 25 has an internal diameter less than that of the ball portion 18 of the member 16 and the upper end of the tube 25 is internally c-ha-rnfered to provide a socket 27 for the ball portion 18. In order to interconnect the upper arm to the shoulder joint, the ball portion 18 of the member 16 is provided with a diametrically extending slot 28 to receive the eye portion 29 of an eye-bolt 30, the ball portion 18 being provided with a pin 31 to hold the head of the eye-bolt in place. The shank of the eye-bolt extends into the upper end of the tube 25 and threadedly mounts a nut 32 at its innermost end. Adjacent the upper end of the tube 25 it is formed with an internal circumferentially extending bead 33 that serves as an abutment for a washer 34 through which the shank of the eye-bolt 30 extends, the washer in turn serving as an abutment for one end of a compressed helical spring 35 whose other end is seated against the nut 32.

The lower arm assembly is made up of a tube 36 and tube 37 that are identical to those used in the upper arm assembly. The elbow joint is made up of the same parts as are used in the shoulder joint except that a ball member 38 is used in lieu of the member 16 of the shoulder joint. Accordingly, the elbow joint connection will be described only with reference to the differences in the member 38.

The member 38 is adapted to be seated in the lower end of the tube 26. For this purpose, it is formed with a cylindrical end portion 39 that is telescopically slidably receivable within the lower end of the tube 26, the portion 38 being surmounted by a shoulder 40 against which the lower end of the tube 26 abuts. A pin 41 extends diametrically through the wall of the tube 26 and the cylindrical portion 39 to hold the member 38 in place. The ball portion 18 of member 38 is then connected to the socket 27 of the upper end of the tube 25 of the lower arm assembly by means of a pin 31, eye-bolt 30, washer 34,- nut 32 and spring 35, such as are employed in the shoulder joint. The lower end of the tube 37 of the lower arm assembly is closed by a cap 42 secured thereto at a location corresponding to the wrist of the arm.

As is apparent, the tube 25 will not maintain a desired angular relationship to the body unless sufficient compression is maintained in the spring 22. Such compression of the spring is readily maintained merely by rotation of the tube in clockwise direction, assuming a right-hand thread in the stud 20. By such rotation, the stud more deeply enters the T-nut 24 thus compressing the spring 22 between the shoulder 23 and the washer 21.

Similarly, to maintain the tube 25 in angularly adjusted position relative to the ball 18 or the lower arm adjusted relative to the upper arm, compression must be maintained in the springs 34. For this purpose, a slot 43 is provided in the walls of each of the tubes 25 and 36 extending longitudinally of the tube in the area overlying the desired range of movement of the nut 32 on the shank of the eye-bolt 30. Thus, a coin 44, such as a twenty-five cent piece, can be inserted through the slot 43 for wedging between the periphery of the nut 32 and the inner face of the tube. The tube, coin 44 and nut 32 can then be turned to advance the nut along the shank of the eye-bolt 30, the eye-bolt being held against rotation by its connection to the ball 18 or 18'. The spring 35 is thus compressed to the desired extent, to increase the clamping force of the upper end of the tube 25 or 36 against the surface of the ball.

The combined length of the telescopically related tubes 25 and 26 or 36 and 37 is maintained in a desired adjustment by means of the same latch mechanism, best seen in FIGURE 3. A generally V-shaped leaf spring is disposed within the smaller diameter tube 37 and at the extremity of one arm is provided with a button 46. The tube 37 is provided with a single opening 47 in its wall in registration with the button 46 and adapted to freely pass the button. The larger diameter tube 36 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 48, 49, 50 and 51 spaced longitudinally of the tube,

preferably at increments of one inch, which openings are also adapted to be readily penetrated by the button 46. Thus, the tube 37 may be pushed inwardly and outwardly of the tube 36 and held in a desired position with the button 46 and any one of the openings 48, 49, 50 and 51 of the tube. A change in overall length is accomplished merely by depressing the button 46 until it clears the inner diameter of the tube 37 after which the tube can be pushed or pulled, as the case may be, until the button reaches a new opening in the wall of the tube 36. If it is desired to skip either of the intermediate holes 49 and 50 or to remove the tube 37, the tube 37 can be rotated within the tube 36 after the button 46 has been depressed. The button can then ride along the inside surface of the tube 36 past holes 49 or 50, or past the hole 48 and then out of the tube 36.

FIGURE 6 shows an embodiment of the invention that is just like that in FIGURES 1 through 5 except for being adapted for connection to a form 10' as an attachment. The only difference in this case is in the shoulder joint which here includes a ball joint member 52 having a cylindrical section 53 that is provided with a coaxially projecting stud 54. A separate flange member 55 is provided that can be secured to the shoulder socket position of the form 10 to rotatably seat the stud 54 by means of a plurality of suitable fasteners 56 that pass through the material of the shell of the form 10', and then into a block of wood 57 on the inside of the form, whereby the flange is held in place. A bore 58 is formed in the form 10' of sulficiently large diameter to house a spring type lock washer 59 and nut 60 on the stud 54. If necessary, a clearance blind bore 61 may be formed in the block of wood 57 to provide clearance for the inner end of the stud 54. The member 52 is provided with a substantially spherical portion 18" that is connected to the upper arm assembly with the eyebolt means previously described.

In a mannequin provided with my invention, the arms 12 may be completely removed, as for displaying a sleeveless shirt. For example, in the arms of FIGURE 2, removal is accomplished merely by unthreading the stud 20 from the T-nut 24. On the other hand, if it is desired to display a short-sleeve shirt as in FIGURE 7, the tube 26 and all portions of the arm thcrebelow can be removed simply by depressing the button 46 of the upper arm and withdrawing the tube. When it is desired to display a three-quarter length sleeve garment as in FIGURE 8, only the tube 37 of the lower arm assembly is removed, once again by depression of the button 46 of the lower arm and withdrawal of the tube 37. In displaying a full-length sleeve garment, as in FIGURE 1, all four sections of tubing are used. In any event, the arm can be placed in any desired position merely by bending or turning, or both, at the elbow joint or the shoulder joint, or both.

Several variations and modifications of the arm structure described above will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, I do not mean to be limited to those details of construction, but only by the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an articulated arm for clothing display mannequins, the combination comprising:

a first pair of telescopically engaged tubes, each of which tubes constitutes a portion only of the distance between an elbow joint and a shoulder joint of said arm, said pair of tubes together comprising the full length of the distance between the shoulder and elbow joints of said mannequin arm; latch means for detachably securing said first pair of tubes together;

a ball member connected to a lower end of said pair of tubes;

a second pair of telescopically slidably engaged tubes to simulate a lower arm and having an upper end serving as a socket for said ball member each of said second pair of tubes constituting a portion only of the distance between an elbow joint and a wrist location of said arm, said second pair of tubes together comprising the full length of the distance between the elbow joint and wrist location of said mannequin arm;

a spring biased means interconnected between said ball member and said second pair of tubes for biasing said ball member and socket together;

a second latch means for detachably securing said second pair of members together;

a second ball member adapted to be connected to the shoulder of a mannequin, an upper end of said first pair of tubes serving as a socket for said second ball member; and

a second spring biased means interconnected between said second ball member and said first pair of tubes to bias together said second ball member and said socket of said first pair of tubes.

2. An arm for clothing display mannequins as set forth in claim 1 in which said'second ball member is provided with a cylindrical portion adapted for rotatable engagement with a mannequin and in which a spring biased means is provided for interconnection between said second ball member and said mannequin for resisting rotation of said cylindrical portion whereby to maintain said arm in an adjusted position.

3. In an articulated arm for clothing display mannequins, the combination comprising:

a pair of elongated members, each of which constitutes a portion only of the distance between an elbow joint and a shoulder joint of said arm, said pair of members being interconnected in longitudinally aligned relationship to together comprise the full length of the distance between the shoulder and elbow joints of said mannequin arm;

a latch means to detachably interconnect said pair of members;

an elongated rigid means adapted to simulate a portion at least of the elbow to wrist length of a lower mannequin arm;

a means pivotally interconnecting a lower end of a lower one of said pair of elongated members to an upper end of said elongated means to simulate a lower mannequin arm to vary the angular relationship therebetween, whereby to simulate an elbow joint for said mannequin arm;

and yieldable means connected to said last-mentioned means for yieldably maintaining a selected angular relationship.

4. A mannequin arm as set forth in claim 3 in which:

said elongated means to simulate a lower mannequin arm comprises a second pair of members that are interconnected in longitudinally aligned relationship and a second latch means to detachably interconnect said second pair of members whereby a lower one of said second pair of members can be removed from an upper one of said second pair of members, said upper one of said second pair of members being adapted in length to simulate less than the elbow to Wrist length of a mannequin arm.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 807,473 12/1905 Kolar 46-163 817,511 4/1906 Palmenberg 223-68 1,601,447 9/1926 Huck 46-101 1,620,069 3/1927 Bucherer 46-161 2,707,070 4/ 1955 Tanzer 223-68 2,800,737 7/1957 Crossan 287-58 X 2,921,763 1/1960 Miller et a1 287-58 X 3,171,627 3/1965 Tapley et al. 287-58 X JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

G. V. LARKIN, Examiner. 

1. IN AN ARTICULATED ARM FOR CLOTHING DISPLAY MANNEQUINS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A FIRST PAIR OF TELESCOPICALLY ENGAGED TUBES, EACH OF WHICH TUBES CONSTITUTES A PORTION ONLY OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AN ELBOW JOINT AND A SHOULDER JOINT OF SAID ARM, SAID PAIR OF TUBES TOGETHER COMPRISING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE SHOULDER AND ELBOW JOINTS OF SAID MANNEQUIN ARM; A LATCH MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID FIRST PAIR OF TUBES TOGETHER; A BALL MEMBER CONNECTED TO A LOWER END OF SAID PAIR OF TUBES; A SECOND PAIR OF TELESCOPICALLY SLIDABLY ENGAGED TUBES TO SIMULATE A LOWER ARM AND HAVING AN UPPER END SERVING AS A SOCKET FOR SAID BALL MEMBER EACH OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF TUBES CONSTITUTING A PORTION ONLY OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AN ELBOW JOINT AND A WRIST LOCATION OF SAID ARM, SAID SECOND PAIR OF TUBES TOGETHER COMPRISING THE FULL LENGTH OF THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ELBOW JOINT AND WRIST LOCATION OF SAID MANNEQUIN ARM; A SPRING BIASED MEANS INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BALL MEMBER AND SAID SECOND PAIR OF TUBES FOR BIASING SAID BALL MEMBER AND SOCKET TOGETHER; A SECOND LATCH MEANS FOR DETACHABLY SECURING SAID SECOND PAIR OF MEMBERS TOGETHER; A SECOND BALL MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE SHOULDER OF A MANNEQUIN, AN UPPER END OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF TUBES SERVING AS A SOCKET FOR SAID SECOND BALL MEMBER; AND A SECOND SPRING BIASED MEANS INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SECOND BALL MEMBER AND SAID FIRST PAIR OF TUBES TO BIAS TOGETHER SAID SECOND BALL MEMBER AND SAID SOCKET OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF TUBES. 